Bolsonaro and Lula discuss the minimum wage, corruption and abortion in their last debate

The Brazilian president affirms that he will recognize the results of the elections even if he loses

MADRID, 29 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The candidates to occupy the presidency of Brazil, the current president Jair Bolsonaro and the former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, have faced each other in the last electoral debate before the second round of elections this Sunday, where they have exchanged accusations and discussed salary least, corruption and abortion.

The current president has been in charge of opening the debate, although for Brazilian analysts Lula is the one who has dominated the first section by asking Bolsonaro about his management of the pandemic, as well as for his decisions at the forefront of foreign policy and environmental.

Among other issues, Lula has criticized his opponent for the fact that the minimum wage is lower than when he took office and has recalled that during his government (2003-2010) it was raised by 74 percent. Bolsonaro has promised to raise this amount to 1,400 reais, from the current 1,200 (265 and 227 euros, respectively), although he did not foresee it in the budget, according to 'O Globo'.

Bolsonaro's strategy, on the other hand, has been to try to link the Workers' Party, for which Lula is running, "with the color red" and has assured that the former president "supported land invasion actions."

In addition, the president has branded his opponent an "abortionist" after he recalled a decades-old speech in which Lula defended the use of the morning-after pill. However, the PT candidate has stated that he is against abortion just like "his women are against him." "I respect life, because I have five children, eight grandchildren and a great-granddaughter" he has argued.

The weapons aspect has also made its way into the debate. Bolsonaro has defended his policy on this matter and has accused Lula of meeting with "drug bosses" for meeting with community leaders from the Alemán Complex, a group of favelas in the northern part of the capital.

The former president has assured that there he met with "wonderful" and hard-working people and that they (the PT) "have carried out the largest disarmament campaign in the country because they preferred to opt for books."

Both have taken advantage of the final minute to ask for votes for their profile, an occasion in which Bolsonaro has called to vote for the guarantee of the most conservative values ​​while Lula has done so to restore "harmony" in the country.

In a statement after the debate, Bolsonaro has stated that he will recognize the result of the polls. When asked if he would recognize the results of the elections, he replied "sustenance", and when questioned he assured that "the one with the most votes gets it".

In recent weeks, the president had raised doubts as to whether he would accept results that were not favorable to him as legitimate after questioning the guarantees of the electoral system and accusing the Superior Electoral Court of withdrawing part of the propaganda for his candidacy.

The polls for the second round of the elections, which will take place this Sunday, point to a victory for Lula da Silva, who would collect 53 percent of the valid votes, compared to 47 percent for the current president.

If Lula wins the elections, he will have to deal with one of the most conservative congresses in Brazil's democratic history. Bolsonarist forces dominate the Chamber, with Bolsonaro's Liberal Party (PL) having the greatest presence. An important challenge for the former union leader, who will have to reach agreements to fulfill electoral promises such as increasing social programs and greater environmental controls.